Link to Today’s Mass
I wrote this article in sections. First, you’ll find background. If you don’t want that, then I have provided the next section on how to attend, follow, understand and celebrate the Mass. Then, I go into the philosophy and history of the Roman Mass.
If you want to attend a Tridentine Mass and you seem confessed about it, then this document may help. As a traditionally minded Catholic who only knew the Regular Sunday Mass as an attendee and server, I had a difficult time with the basic idea of attending a Latin Mass formerly known as the Extraordinary Form.
Still, I felt curious about the Extraordinary Form and when given the opportunity, I attended a low Mass given by our parish vicar, who transferred from a Priestly Fraternity of Saint Peter (FSSP) parish. He wanted to keep up his skills and allowed us to attend masses he celebrated privately.
During the Mass, I had no idea what he did. It seemed strange to me. So, I began a study of the Mass. I researched everything I could and learned how to attend, participate and fell in love with the Extraordinary Form, which I now refer to as the TLM or Traditional Latin Mass.
Recently, my Bishop celebrated the Traditional Latin Mass in Tyler, Texas for the first time. An article on the National Catholic Register documents his experience.
Background
In 1963, the Second Vatican Council of 1962- 65 banned the Tridentine Mass established by Pope Pius V in 1570. A group of Council members said they wanted to modernize the Roman Catholic liturgy, allow more participation by the congregation and make it accessible to non-Catholics.
Protests by members of the clergy asserted that the new Roman Mass did more than that, it protestantized the ancient ritual. Any objective observer reviewing the various forms of services will have to admit that the “new mass” looks and sounds Lutheran and, or closer to the Anglican service.
The Roman Mass, formally required in a 1970 missal by Pope Paul VI, had priests use a country’s vernacular, such as English in stead of Latin in the Mass. In the new mass, the priest faced the congregation and brought lay ministers to the alter to read scripture. That began with an immediate Order of Pope Paul VI.
In 1984, Pope John Paul II decided to allow limited use of the Latin- only Tridentine Mass. News came by a circular of the Congregation for the Divine Faith. The Vatican issued the circular to the presidents of conferences of bishops around the world. It did not release it to the press until October 16, 1984. The circular outlined special conditions for celebrating the Tridentine Mass.
That broke a deadlock smoldering for years among Conservative and Liberal Roman Catholics, but unfortunately, the conditions outlined in the circular appeared oppressive. Essentially, the Tridentine mass did not return in 1984. Some observers consider the 1984 announcement as a mere gesture.
By the decree Quattuor Abhinc Annos of October 3, 1984, the Congregation for Divine Worship gave bishops the faculty to grant an indult for the celebration of Mass according to the 1962 Missal, provided that certain conditions be respected.
In 1988,, John Paul II recommended, in Ecclesia Dei, a “wide and generous application” of the norms in Quattuor abhinc annos. He established the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei to facilitate the return of traditionalist Catholics into full communion with the Holy See. As a result, the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter (FSSP) began offering the Tridentine Mass again using the 1962 Missal.
In 2007, Pope Benedict XVI issued another motu proprio, Summorum Pontificum, which expanded and simplified the permissions to celebrate the whole liturgy according to the norms of 1962. He clarified that the 1962 Missale and 2008 Missale are both legitimate forms of the one Roman Rite, respectively called the Extraordinary and Ordinary Forms.
This Apostolic Letter has the aim of:
a. offering to all the faithful the Roman Liturgy in the Usus Antiquior, considered as a precious treasure to be preserved;
b. effectively guaranteeing and ensuring the use of the forma extraordinaria for all who ask for it, given that the use of the 1962 Roman Liturgy is a faculty generously granted for the good of the faithful and therefore is to be interpreted in a sense favorable to the faithful who are its principal addressees;
c. promoting reconciliation at the heart of the Church.
Thus did he exhort the whole Church to “generously open our hearts and make room for everything that the faith itself allows.” Any Priest of the Latin Church—provided he has the minimum rubrical and linguistic ability—may, without any further permission from the Holy See or his Ordinary, celebrate the Extraordinary Form of the Missale Romanum in a Mass without the people at any time except during the Sacred Triduum. If members of the faithful wish to join in these celebrations, they are permitted to do so.In parishes where a stable group of the faithful are attached to the Extraordinary Form of the Mass, they may approach the pastor, who is to support their petition willingly.
Parts of the Latin Mass by Dr. Taylor Marshall
Structure of the Traditional Latin Mass (Abridged)
The Mass is divided into two parts, the Mass of the Catechumens and the Mass of the Faithful. Catechumens, those being instructed in the faith, are dismissed after the first half, not having yet professed the faith. Profession of faith was considered essential for participation in the Eucharistic sacrifice.]
Mass of the Catechumens
The first part is the Mass of the Catechumens.
Prayers at the foot of the altar
The sequence of Prayers at the foot of the altar is:
Sign of the cross
The priest, after processing in with one or more servers and at Low Mass placing the veiled chalice on the center of the altar, makes the sign of the cross at the foot of the altar.
Psalm 42, Judica me, preceded and followed by an antiphon of the same psalm: “Introibo ad altare Dei, ad Deum qui lætificat iuventutem meam” (Translation: “I shall go in to the altar of God: to God who giveth joy to my youth”), recited by the priest, alternating with the deacon and subdeacon (if present) or servers.
Psalm 123:8 is recited:
The Priest (makes the sign of the cross): “Our help is in the name of the Lord,”
The servers recites: “Who made heaven and earth.”
The double form of a prayer of general confession of sins, known by its incipit Confiteor (I confess to almighty God…), is recited:
Priest (while bowing low): “Confíteor – I confess to almighty God…)
The servers pray for the priest: “May Almighty God have mercy on thee, forgive thee thy sins, and bring thee to life everlasting.” Then it is the ministers’ or servers’ turn to confess sinfulness and to ask for prayers. They use the same words as those used by the priest, except that they say “you, Father,” in place of “you, brethren”, and the priest responds with the same prayer that the servers have used for him (but using the plural number) plus an extra prayer.
The several verses are then said by priest and ministers (or servers)
The priest then says, Oremus (Let us pray). After this he ascends to the altar, praying silently “Take away from us our iniquities, we beseech thee O Lord, that with pure minds we may worthily enter into the holy of holies”, a reference to Exodus 26:33-34, 1 Kings 6:16, 1 Kings 8:6, 2 Chronicles 3:8, Ezekiel 41:4, and others.
He places his joined hands on the edge of the altar, so that only the tips of the small fingers touch the front of it, and silently prays that, by the merits of the Saints whose relics are in the altar, and of all the Saints, God may pardon all his sins. At the words quorum relíquiæ hic sunt (whose relics are here), he spreads his hands and kisses the altar.
Priest at the altar:
Dominus vobiscum (“The Lord be with you”) before the Collect.
In the Tridentine Mass the priest should keep his eyes downcast at this point.
Introit
The priest again makes the sign of the Cross while he begins to read the Introit, which is usually taken from a Psalm.
Kyrie
This part of Mass is a linguistic marker of the origins of the Roman liturgy in Greek. “Kyrie, eleison; Christe, eleison; Kyrie, eleison.” means “Lord, have mercy; Christ have mercy;…” Each phrase is said three times.
Gloria in excelsis Deo
The first line of the Gloria is taken from Lk 2:14.
The Collect
The priest turns toward the people and says, “Dominus vobiscum.” The servers respond: “Et cum spiritu tuo.” (“The Lord be with you.” “And with thy spirit”). The Collect follows, a prayer not drawn directly from Scripture. It tends to reflect the season.
Instruction
The priest reads the Epistle, primarily an extract from the letters of St. Paul to various churches.
The Gospel reading
Before the reading or chanting of the Gospel, the priest prays: “Cleanse my heart and my lips, O almighty God, who didst cleanse the lips of the prophet Isaias…”, a reference to Isaiah 6:6. In this passage, after being cleansed by the angel, Isaiah was instructed to prophesy.
The Homily
The Creed
Mass of the Faithful
The second part is the Mass of the Faithful.
Offertory
Offertory Verse:
After greeting the people once more (“Dominus vobiscum/Et cum spiritu tuo”) and giving the invitation to pray (Oremus), the priest enters upon the Mass of the Faithful, from which the non-baptized were once excluded. He reads the Offertory Verse, a short quotation from Holy Scripture which varies with the Mass of each day, with hands joined.
Offering of Bread and Wine
Washing the hands
The priest prays Psalm 26:6-12: “I will wash my hands among the innocent…”
Prayer to the Most Holy Trinity
Consecration
Preface of the Canon
Sanctus
Canon or rule of consecration
Intercession
Prayers preparatory to the consecration
A prayer that God may graciously accept the offering and “command that we be delivered from eternal damnation and counted among the flock of those you have chosen”.
Consecration (transubstantiation) and major elevation
An oblation is an offering; the pure, holy, spotless victim is now offered, with a prayer that God may accept the offering and command his holy angel to carry the offering to God’s altar on high, so that those who receive the Body and Blood of Christ “may be filled with every grace and heavenly blessing”.
Remembrance of the Dead
Communion
The Lord’s Prayer and Libera nos
Fraction of the Host
Agnus Dei
The Pax
The priest asks Christ to look not at the priest’s sins but at the faith of Christ’s Church, and prays for peace and unity within the Church.
Prayers preparatory to the Communion
In the first of these two prayers for himself, the priests asks that by Holy Communion he may be freed from all his iniquities and evils, be made to adhere to the commandments of Jesus and never be separated from him. In the second he asks: “Let not the partaking of Thy Body, O Lord Jesus Christ…turn to my judgment and condemnation: but through Thy goodness may it be unto me a safeguard….”
Receiving of the Body and Blood of our Lord
The priest quietly says several prayers here, before receiving Communion. “Praising I will call upon the Lord: and I shall be saved from my enemies.”
Priest on the “Ecce Agnus Dei – Behold the Lamb of God” in the people communion.
If the priest is to give Communion to others, he holds up a small host and says aloud: “Behold the Lamb of God …”, and three times: “Lord, I am not worthy …”. He then gives Communion, first making with the host the sign of the cross over each communicant, while saying: “May the Body of Our Lord Jesus Christ preserve your soul for eternal life. Amen.”
Conclusion
“Ite, missa est” sung by the deacon at a Solemn Mass.
Prayers during the Ablutions
The prayers now focus on what has been received, that “we may receive with a pure mind”, “that no stain of sin may remain in me, whom these pure and holy sacraments have refreshed.”
Communion Antiphon and Postcommunion
The communion antiphon is normally a portion of a Psalm. The Postcommunion Prayer is akin to the Collect in being an appropriate prayer not directly drawn from Scripture.
Ite Missa est; Blessing
“Go, it is the dismissal.” The word “Mass” derives from this phrase.
After saying a silent prayer for himself, the priest then gives the people his blessing.
The Last Gospel
The priest then reads the Last Gospel, the beginning of the Gospel of John, John 1:1-14, which recounts the Incarnation of the Son of God. On certain occasions, as for instance at the Day Mass on Christmas Day, another Gospel passage was read instead because that Gospel is read as the Gospel of the Mass, but Pope John XXIII’s revision of the rubrics decreed that on those and on other occasions the Last Gospel should simply be omitted.
Videos to Help